IN PROGRESS: Orbit 287 - August 4 - August 10
Event Date Spacecraft Time (UTC) Local Time (PDT) Notes
Ring Crossing #17 Aug 7 5:19 p.m. 10:19 a.m.
Downlink Aug 8 3:11 p.m. 8:11 a.m. Estimated Earth Received Time (ERT) is 9:29 a.m. PDT on August 8.
During this orbit Cassini’s Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS) observes Saturn’s northern aurora, attempting to capture the entire auroral oval over several observations.
The spacecraft’s imaging cameras, the Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS), performs the first of two final observations of one of Saturn’s tiny, irregular moons, named Kiviuq, which completes about 80 percent of one rotation during Cassini’s observation. The observation is intended to improve models of the moon’s shape and other of Kiviuq’s characteristics.
The ISS instrument also targets one of Saturn’s ring propeller features, and also continues its campaign of observing Saturn’s moon Titan for two segments of time, each lasting several hours, to image the moon’s atmosphere and surface, in particular to watch Titan’s clouds form and change. The spacecraft’s Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) and Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) observe Titan as well.
Also during this orbit, the spacecraft rolls to calibrate Cassini’s magnetometer (MAG).
During this orbit, Cassini gets within 1,830 miles (2,940 kilometers) of Saturn’s 1-bar level. Cassini also passes within 2,960 miles (4,760 kilometers) of the inner edge of Saturn’s D ring.
